So Then the Car Said...

It's always fun to visit the Cryptomeria japonica 'Christatas' This is one of those curiosity plants that I'd definitely have in my garden if only I had a lot more space. It's easy to see where the common name Cock's Comb Cryptomeria came from.

This one was talking to me but it's language was too cryptic for my understanding.

Wonder what this guy thinks about the whole thing?

Nothing says summer like beautiful and fragrant oriental lilies. There's something about the simple elegance of their shape that makes me love them. What do you think of the new doubles? They don't float my boat but some people think they're the bees knees.

Schefflera taiwaniana 'Yuan Shan'

Schefflera brevipedunculata

Is the gnome stuck on that cactus? Do you suppose that he'll be covered in glochids when he approaches that cute-looking opuntia? I'm convinced that they can actually throw these!

Valley is a large garden center type of place a plant store rather than a nursery. (A nursery grows its own stock.) This place always carries a great selection of lots of plants and have had, from time to time, some pretty unusual offerings. Their house plant section is always a treat. I wasn't prepared for the big surprise of seeing many tables full of plants from San Marcos Growers!

Are those Leucadendrons lurking there? And Agonis flexuosa on the far left? (dark purple leaves with a minty smell!)

Why yes, yes they are and here's a table full of Grevilleas.

Leucadendron 'Jester' captured my heart in several of the gardens we visited on the Garden Bloggers' Fling in June. Here was one just waiting to jump into my car. It's as if all those seductive plants, hardy in California, followed me home to Washington. (Yes, it's one more thing that will have to come inside for the winter. Try not to think about it and whatever you do, don't remind me when I'm in the middle of the seasonal move that I could have simply left the plant there.)

Holy Mary, it's a Kalanchoe forest!

And, and, and, could that be a whole bunch of Calothamnus villosus or Silky Net Bush that tugged at my heart when I saw one in bloom at WeHop in the spring?

Oh yeah, baby! And it was also available in sweet one gallon pots but the plants themselves were almost as large as the ones in bigger pots.

Those Agaves 'Mr. Ripple' in two gallon pots were pretty reasonably priced but I have (forgive me Loree) too many Agaves already. And we'll be visiting here again soon.

Lastly, one of my favorite (they're all pretty fab.) members of the Araliacea, Trevesia palmate. The emerging leaves resemble little silver snowflakes, it's relatively easy and can take fairly low light conditions when it comes inside for the winter to be a houseplant.

What a spectacular surprise to find so many plants, unusual to see in our climate, in one visit. I'm so glad that Valley decided to take a chance with these exciting plants and I hope it's profitable for them so that they'll keep offering fun stuff like this!

Thanks, car, for taking us on this surprise visit!

My wish for you is that your every nursery visit will be filled with as many happy surprises as I experienced on this visit!

39 comments:

Such a fascinating place. I love the white dragon container, flamboyant rooster and the whimsical head planters in your previous post. Even if we can't take some of these objects and plants such as Globularia x indubia, home, its great feast for the eyes and make us feel thoroughly contented.

I know, it's like I'm speaking a foreign language or something. There's a rumor going around that some people say that they actually think about the consequences of their plant purchases. The real plan was to wait until the promotional postcard from Valley came in the mail telling me how many promotional points I earned this season and then go back and get Mr. Ripple for a song.

Silly me, I forgot to mention that my car will be giving a talk at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show. I'll be in the parking structure on level B. The title of the presentation is "Hauling butt to all of the coolest nurseries in the PNW." Your vehicle shouldn't miss it!

You're right, we're pretty spoiled that way. Just today a couple of women walked down the sidewalk looking at the neglected parking strip and asked if I'd traveled the world collecting plants. My answer was that I'd just traveled to nurseries in the area. Sometimes I love living here!

Oh yes, the car does speak to one sometimes, doesn't it? I don't know if I'm more proud when I listen to it and find goodies, as you did, or when my willpower just says "no." That succulent fairy garden gave me a few ideas. Thanks!

When I feel best is when the car takes me somewhere and instead of buying the plants myself, I talk someone else into buying them. It's easy to find a poor unsuspecting person admiring a plant and push them over the edge. For me, it's the thrill of the hunt as much as it is bringing home the trophy.

dear og, such a cheerful, funny post, as well as informative. But it's also a dangerous post. That first plant, Cryptomeria, is a real character. I think it was talking to me through the screen. It wants to grow in my garden. It says if there's not enough space, remove lesser plants and make room! It's being bossy, taking advantage of the fact I've fallen in love with it. Lucky it's on the other side of the world, other wise I'd lose my free will.

We gardeners are an interesting lot. I moved from zone three to zone 8 many years ago and was amazed at the huge variety of plants that are hardy here. Now I lust after, grow, and baby even more tender things. Crazy.

About Me

Why Outlaw Gardener? I like to break the rules of good taste, plant placement, and plant hardiness. Also, I have received periodic "love notes" from the city code enforcement officer telling me that my parking strip plants encroach on the city's right-of-way. When expressing my distress over the latest such notice, I exclaimed to my pal Loree (Danger Garden) "I'm an outlaw gardener!" To which she replied,"That would be a good name for a blog."
My first gardens were in Southeast Alaska (zone 3.)I do miss the beauty and community of small-town Alaska but I don't take for granted for a moment how wonderful it is to garden in zone 8.